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The Official 2012 - 2013 College Football Thread

Well, right off the top I want to again say thanks to everyone that participated in The 2011- 2012 College Football thread. Never in a million years did I imagine we'd end the thread with over 8,000 views! (There were a lot of things I never imagined would happen during the season, but they did. So please no one point out to me how Nebraska collapsed and dashed my early high expectations. I know, I know and I'm still in mourning. )

As I said in my closing post for the 2011 - 2012 thread, I really enjoyed the interaction between the fans, well thought-out points of view, great team spirit and even the occasional tongue-in-cheek (I hope!) potshots at my Nebraska Cornhuskers.

I'm sure it seems like it's a little early to start a thread for the new season, but the reality is that the new season really does begin right after the National Championship Game and the final rankings. As we all know, there's been no shortage of news so far on the college football front -- some of it sad, some of it intriguing, some of it confusing and some of it downright irritating. Some of it also hopeful -- I really think this is going to be the year that there's (to mix sports) a full court press for a championship series. We'll see.

Anyway, there's going to be plenty happening from now until kick-off in Fall. ('Fall'. Sounds an eternity away, doesn't it?) So I thought I'd launch a new thread. I hope everyone brings their A-game to this thread the way you did to last year's and that we have as much fun as we did during the 2011 - 2012 season. You guys (and gals) were one of the best things about last season for me. You're the greatest.

Well, at least they're talking about it. But this kind of playoff is far, far from what I want. I wanted to see each conferences' top two playing in a true playoff season. Is that too much to ask? And isn't that what the NCAA basketball March Madness is about -- a Cinderella team's shot at the whole thing. Isn't it exciting when we see a second tier seeded basketball team defying all odds and making a run for it fueled by guts and determination? And doesn't a football team with a season in which they don't lose a single game have a right to a Rocky Balboa shot at the crown even if they're just an obscure 'club fighter'?

Yeah, yeah. I know all about the bowl games. But we could make them just as exciting -- and maybe moreso -- by having different bowls host different playoff match-ups.

At this rate, however, I'm afraid most of you will be as old as me before you ever see a true playoff season.

As for football as a whole I look forward to the seemingly never ending drama that is the relocation and expansion news. No sarcasm.

As for the Big Ten. I look forward to their match ups with the Pac 12. But that doesn't happen for a few more years. Off hand I'm drawing a blank.

As for football as a whole part 2:doesn't the current contract expire in two more years (seasons)?

As for football as a whole part 3:how will the championship game shape up? will we face the same scenerio next season as we did the last one?

as for the big 10 part 2:wil/ Heeeere's Olesker! get real jacked up (and may be talk trash) for a Nebraska game that he thinks they'll win only to make a post later that day or the next day about having a glass of milk with his humble pie? Ok. we don't have to wait till next year to find out that answer.

As for football as a whole I look forward to the seemingly never ending drama that is the relocation and expansion news. No sarcasm.

As for the Big Ten. I look forward to their match ups with the Pac 12. But that doesn't happen for a few more years. Off hand I'm drawing a blank.

As for football as a whole part 2:doesn't the current contract expire in two more years (seasons)?

As for football as a whole part 3:how will the championship game shape up? will we face the same scenerio next season as we did the last one?

as for the big 10 part 2:wil/ Heeeere's Olesker! get real jacked up (and may be talk trash) for a Nebraska game that he thinks they'll win only to make a post later that day or the next day about having a glass of milk with his humble pie? Ok. we don't have to wait till next year to find out that answer.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves gents.

You're absolute right about not having to wait for next year for the answer to your final question -- although it may not be quite the answer you're anticipating or hoping for. I guarantee you I've learned from last year and I'm going to zip it about making Nebraska predictions. To paraphrase Nixon, "You won't have Olesker to kick around anymore."

That said, I'm dying for the season to start...or at least get closer. This thread is a lot of fun for me...and I hope for others as well.

You're absolute right about not having to wait for next year for the answer to your final question -- although it may not be quite the answer you're anticipating or hoping for. I guarantee you I've learned from last year and I'm going to zip it about making Nebraska predictions. To paraphrase Nixon, "You won't have Olesker to kick around anymore."

That said, I'm dying for the season to start...or at least get closer. This thread is a lot of fun for me...and I hope for others as well.

I had fun reporting all the relocation/expansion news. no sarcasm.

The passion you showed for Nebraska made me chuckle. You was so energenic about it. You was busting at the seems. And nothing wrong with that.

The passion you showed for Nebraska made me chuckle. You was so energenic about it. You was busting at the seems. And nothing wrong with that.

Thanks for that, midor. You know, there's no zealot like a convert. I came to be a Nebraska fan late as a result of meeting my Kim many years ago. She's a University of Nebraska grad and all these years later she's now studying for her Masters Degree through NU. As a former Chicago boy, back then I was always into professional sports. We met in the Bahamas while I was living there for a couple of years (Kim was on vacation with her girlfriends) and I working with the natioinal television broadcast network ZNS. After she flew back and forth half a dozen times and we decided to get married she asked where I wanted to live. When I told her Boca Raton she was aghast. She explained that Florida -- all of Florida -- was Big Red's arch-rival. She said she'd marry me but I'd have to get a big screen TV, a dish and fly her to Lincoln three times a year to see the Huskers play. We did that for five years and I finally decided it was prudent to live in the Midwest. But in the interim I became a rabid Husker fan, attending all the Orange Bowl games during the glory years, destroying the 'Canes being the high point. But it was really the Nebraska fans that won me over. Classy fans, always standing in the bars in Lincoln as piano players played the opposing team's fight song, applauding great plays by the opposition and giving props.

Now I bleed Husker Red and all you have to do with my four-year old Max is call "Hussssssssskers...--" and he'll shout back "-- Go Big Red!" Awfully cute. Ya can't start 'em too young.

I wonder if Martinez will improve or if he has already peaked. I wish he'd play like he did his first season before the injury.

It's a fair and good question. He's been dicey from the start -- both health-wise and quality wise. In my book he's never been like Tommy Frazier, Crouch or Scott Frost or (RIP) Brook Berringer. Each of them was solid from the start and throughout their career. You always knew what you were going to get and there was steady improvement.

Martinez surely shows flashes of brilliance, but it's like me trying to bench press 250 lbs. On a really great day, with everything being perfect in my word, I can do it. But there's no guarantee I'll be able to do it next week. I just never feel 100% comfortable with Martinez. I'm always waiting for the next interception or the next injury. Just like that 250 lbs. bench press, I don't have a confidence level in him. It's why I stick with 200 lbs. and it's why I'm looking forward to NU's next great quarterback.

That said, I sure hope he surprises me and puts in a full and amazing season. He has it within himself.

And now that we're done with this thankfully brief (aptly named) March Madness in which we're subjected to watching ten pituitary cases running amok on a hardwood floor and reaching down so they can drop a ball into a hoop below them, can we get back to the truly great sport of College Football?

It's a fair and good question. He's been dicey from the start -- both health-wise and quality wise. In my book he's never been like Tommy Frazier, Crouch or Scott Frost or (RIP) Brook Berringer. Each of them was solid from the start and throughout their career. You always knew what you were going to get and there was steady improvement.

Martinez surely shows flashes of brilliance, but it's like me trying to bench press 250 lbs. On a really great day, with everything being perfect in my word, I can do it. But there's no guarantee I'll be able to do it next week. I just never feel 100% comfortable with Martinez. I'm always waiting for the next interception or the next injury. Just like that 250 lbs. bench press, I don't have a confidence level in him. It's why I stick with 200 lbs. and it's why I'm looking forward to NU's next great quarterback.

That said, I sure hope he surprises me and puts in a full and amazing season. He has it within himself.

GO BIG RED!

In Olesker's canon basketball doesn't exist.

To answer your question. Yes. we can go back to talking about football.

Yes, I know you were joking
Just wish I had a better football team to follow

Tell you what, You pull for Nebraska football and I'll pull for Kentucky basketball...although I'll freely admit I'd be getting the better end of the deal; at least win-wise. On the other hand, Husker football has an amazing history and even more amazing fans.

And in Kentucky football doesn't exist But hey, we have the 8-time national champs in basketball!

All joking aside, I really think it's interesting how some universities have grown up as "football schools" and others are "basketball schools". Even within conferences, there are schools that seem to have an identity one way or the other. There seem to be only a few universities that do both at the national title level (OSU, Texas, Florida come to mind, although I'm sure there are a few others). Sure, that's partly due to how hard it is to compete for national titles in anything. But i think to some degree, it's more about those universities putting a lot of money into their athletics budgets.

I should also point out that I'd MUCH rather have my school be good at one or the other than be good at neither!

Tell you what, You pull for Nebraska football and I'll pull for Kentucky basketball...although I'll freely admit I'd be getting the better end of the deal; at least win-wise. On the other hand, Husker football has an amazing history and even more amazing fans.

I used to work in Human Resources at a Pella Windows & Doors manufacturing plant. One of the Department Managers, Billy Legate, played fullback for Nebraska from 1995-98. He loved to talk about the National Championships with them during the 1995 and 1997 seasons. Great guy to talk with!

Originally Posted by ksensor

All joking aside, I really think it's interesting how some universities have grown up as "football schools" and others are "basketball schools". There seem like there are only a few universities that do both at the national title level (OSU, Texas, Florida come to mind, although I'm sure there are a few others). I think, to some degree, that's more of those universities having exceptionally large athletics budgets.

I should also point out that I'd MUCH rather have my school be good at one or the other than be good at neither!

Yeah, I have always found it odd why most schools can't seem to excel in more than one sport. In the case of Kentucky football, they have had good years (National Champions in 1950 under Bear Bryant) and some great players (Tim Couch, Andre Woodson, Randall Cobb, etc.), but only mediocre as a team. Plus, it is always difficult being the little brother in the tough SEC playing the likes of Alabama, Florida, LSU, Georgia, Arkansas, etc. on a weekly basis.

But you are right, I am glad to be a fan of 2 schools (Kentucky, Murray State) that are at least good at 1 sport.

All joking aside, I really think it's interesting how some universities have grown up as "football schools" and others are "basketball schools". Even within conferences, there are schools that seem to have an identity one way or the other. There seem to be only a few universities that do both at the national title level (OSU, Texas, Florida come to mind, although I'm sure there are a few others). Sure, that's partly due to how hard it is to compete for national titles in anything. But i think to some degree, it's more about those universities putting a lot of money into their athletics budgets.

I should also point out that I'd MUCH rather have my school be good at one or the other than be good at neither!

That's an interesting observation and it makes me wonder why that's so. I'm not sure if it starts with great leadership (a great basketball or football coach) or great players from either sport. Either way, as I've said, it's an interesting observation.

Originally Posted by MOTU_Maniac

I used to work in Human Resources at a Pella Windows & Doors manufacturing plant. One of the Department Managers, Billy Legate, played fullback for Nebraska from 1995-98. He loved to talk about the National Championships with them during the 1995 and 1997 seasons. Great guy to talk with!

Yeah, I have always found it odd why most schools can't seem to excel in more than one sport. In the case of Kentucky football, they have had good years (National Champions in 1950 under Bear Bryant) and some great players (Tim Couch, Andre Woodson, Randall Cobb, etc.), but only mediocre as a team. Plus, it is always difficult being the little brother in the tough SEC playing the likes of Alabama, Florida, LSU, Georgia, Arkansas, etc. on a weekly basis.

But you are right, I am glad to be a fan of 2 schools (Kentucky, Murray State) that are at least good at 1 sport.

Yeah, the 90s were amazing years for the Huskers. Kim and I lived in Boca Raton, Florida in those years -- the heart of enemy territory -- and to see them take down the 'Canes was amazing. Kim's a University of Nebraska alum (and currently doing her Masters graduate studies with the University of Nebraska), and I'm a huge Huskers convert. There are times, however, when she's a bit conflicted as we live less than an hour from Notre Dame and her cousin is ND Heisman Award-winner Johnny Lujack. Ah to have a wife that's a rabid football fan, loves Guinness and will even take a puff or two on a Cuban cigar from time to time! Every man's dream...

Last edited by Heeeere's Olesker!; April 4, 2012 at 03:58pm.
Reason: Automerged Doublepost

Yeah, the 90s were amazing years for the Huskers. Kim and I lived in Boca Raton, Florida in those years -- the heart of enemy territory -- and to see them take down the 'Canes was amazing. Kim's a University of Nebraska alum (and currently doing her Masters graduate studies with the University of Nebraska), and I'm a huge Huskers convert. There are times, however, when she's a bit conflicted as we live less than an hour from Notre Dame and her cousin is ND Heisman Award-winner Johnny Lujack. Ah to have a wife that's a rabid football fan, loves Guinness and will even take a puff or two on a Cuban cigar from time to time! Every man's dream...

My wife and I don't drink or smoke (personal choice), but she does love sports (both on TV and in person), encourages me to collect toys, and stands behind me and supports me 100% of the time (whether I am right or wrong). She is a dream come true for me. Glad to see we both have the type of woman we have always dreamed for...